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User:Karen Hoisington

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Karen Hoisington

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Karen Hoisington (1956–) is a Singaporean art director, brand designer, artist, gallerist, and author. [1][2] She is the owner of Hoisington Galleries, an art gallery founded by her father, Singaporean pioneer artist, Vincent Hoisington, in 1972.[[3]]

Early life

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Karen Hoisington was born on March 21, 1956, in Singapore. Her father, Vincent Hoisington (1924-1972) was the Singapore pioneer of aluminium relief sculptures and was known for his large painted murals in the 1960s and 1970s.[3] Hoisington’s paternal grandfather was the notable teacher and 'father of the Cambridge Examination" Henry Martyn Hoisington (1880–1933) from Anglo-Chinese School Singapore who taught there from 1906-–1933.[4] Her paternal grandmother was educationist Hannah Sundrum (nee Thumboo) [[5]and the aunt of Edwin Thumboo (1933–), a Singaporean poet and academic, a pioneer of English literature in Singapore.

Hoisington’s great-grandfather, Rev. Henry Lyman Hoisington, and his wife, Harriet Scudder Tennent, were pioneer Methodist ministers from Jaffna, Ceylon, with the American Ceylon Mission (ACM), and were sponsored by the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (ABCFM) to help establish Methodist churches and schools to cater to the migrant Tamil community in Singapore from 1889.[6] They worked closely with William Fitzjames Oldham, a British-American bishop for South As,ia and Sophia Blackmore, an Australian missionary.

Hoisington's mother, Agnes Choi Mui Yee, was an associate principal at Raffles Girls School, Anderson Girls School, and the principal at Whitely Secondary School and Bukit Bartok School. Choi was also the pioneering committee member and treasurer of the Singapore Guitar Society founded by Cultural Medallion recipient Alex Abisheganaden in 1967. [7] Choi was the second cousin of Choy Khun Heng, whose wife was the decorated Singapore World War II hero, the first female legislative counsellor, and educator Elizabeth Choy, OBE. Hoisington’s maternal grandfather, Choy Him Seng, a well-known piano specialist, arrived from Shanghai to Singapore in the 1930s and established the Him Seng Piano Company.[8]

Hoisington’s parents married in Singapore in 1953 and shared a love for aeromodelling, art, and music. Hoisington’s father was the co-founder of the Singapore Aeromodellers Society in 1941 twhich introduced dthe hobby to hundreds of local schoolboys from the 1940s to the 1960s.[9][10]

Hoisington attended Covent of the Holy Infant Jesus (Victoria Street), a French Catholic all-girls mission school.[11]Following her father's death in 1972, she left for the United Kingdom to further her education. After completing her foundation studies in Fine Art at Epsom School of Art (now University of Creative Studies Epsom), she earned a Bachelor's (Hons) Degree in Graphic Design from Kingston School of Art at Kingston School of Art at Kingston University in London in 1977. Notable university students include Eric Clapton (singer, songwriter), George Fisher Gilmour (artist, dramatist, and director), June Kirby (actor and model), Tony Visconti (record producer, musician and singer), and David Chipperfield (architect).

Advertising Career (1980 – 2010)

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After graduating, Hoisington worked for The Creative Business in London, which was led by the British advertising gurur David Bernstein[12].[ She returned to Singapore in 1979, just when Asia's economy was booming. She reopened Hoisington Galleries as its new business manager to continue her father's art legacy as a gallerist and artist alongside her brother, Henry Hoisington.[13][14]

In 1980, Hoisington joined Ogilvy & Mather Singapore as art director reporting to John Archer,[15] Executive Creative Director and then under Rod Pullen, the company's national head.[16] She was one of the first local, foreign-trained art directors at the time. Hoisington created the advertising campaigns for SAAB, Volvo, Piaget, Straits Steamship, American Express, Robinsons, and Centrepoint in Singapore. Her advertisement for Wang Computers was included in Sir David Ogilvy’s best-selling advertising book, Ogilvy on Advertising (1985).[17] In 1985, Hoisington's creative work at Ogilvy earned her two Creative Circle Awards.[18] [19] She was seconded to Meridien Advertising Singapore under Neil French, its creative director [20] and Michael Ball,[[21] Ogilvy's heir apparent, who later purchased Meridian and relaunched it as The Ball Partnership in 1986.[22]

Hoisington left Meridien in 1987 to launch her own graphic design firm, Datum Design, to fill a vacuum in Singapore's graphic design services needed to help the nation’s products and services enter the global market. In the late 1980s and 1990s, Hoisington was one of Singapore's earliest pioneer brand designers to respond to the demands of rebranding Singapore businesses from airlines to zoos following the nation's globalisation initiatives.[23][24] She was the original designer of The Food Paper [25] launched by Singapore’s food ambassador, Violet Oon. Hoisington also gained a reputation with her trendsetting designs and art direction for Tang’s trendsetting house magazines, Studio [26]and Under One Roof. Hoisington contributed to discussions on the growing need for industrial design courses in Singapore.[27]

Accomplishments  

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Hoisington was responsible for creating the brands in property, fashion, travel and hospitality of four Singapore family businesses listed on Forbes: Singapore's 50 Richest List: Khoo, Kwee, Wee, Tang, and Ong families. Hoisington created new Singapore brands including Asia Pacific Breweries (now Heineken Asia Pacific), Club 21, Tangs, and public services, NETS Singapore, National Library Board and Contact Singapore for the Prime Minister's Office.

She worked with a number of local celebrities that included Tan Kheng Hua, a Singaporean actress best known for her supporting roles in the 2018 Hollywood film Crazy Rich Asians and in American television network The CW's martial arts television series Kung Fu; Ong Kim Seng, the artistic director of Theatreworks; Tang Wee Sung, Chairman of Tangs and eldest son of Tang Koon Cheng; Christina Ong, a Singaporean businesswoman; Violet Oon, Singapore’s food ambassador; Pat Chan, Singapore’s national swimmer and her brother, Mark Chan, singer, and songwriter; Bernard Harrison, zoologist and once the executive director of the Singapore Zoo; and Darren Heath, a British motorsport photographer known for his creative and artistic coverage of the Singapore F1 Grand Prix.  

In 2016, Hoisington rebranded her design company to Datum Branding, which included public relations, public speaking, event production, and publishing for her design services. From 2006 to 2010, she was the publicist for the National University of Singapore Department of Engineering FASE Formula Car Project[28] and the event promotor in Singapore for Darren Heath, F1 photographer, at the Singapore F1 Grand Prix from 2008 to 2010.[29]

Hoisington was a pioneer member of the Designers Association of Singapore (DAS) founded by Allein Moore in 1985.[[39]

Art Career (1984-1991, 2024-)

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Hoisington began painting at a very young age as a product of László Polgár’s pedagogy that her father instilled in all his children, exposing them to art, music, and aeromodelling from four years of age.[30][ She was a regular winner of children art competitions[31]. Hoisington did her foundation studies in Fine Art at the University of the Creative Arts (formally Epsom School of Art) and graphic design at Kingston University, both in the United Kingdom.

Hoisington formally launched her art career with the Della Butcher Galleries  taking part in a 7-man exhibition touring the Middle East in 1978 to 1979..[32][33] In 1987, Hoisington was the stage designer for Theatreworks’ Second Chances, [34]and the graphic designer for the theatre company’s 3 Children written by Kristen Jit [35] both under the artistic directorship, Ong Keng Sen. Her last major art exhibition, titled The Dwelling Place [36]was held at The Black Box in 1991.

In 2010, Hoisington was invited by Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee (SYOGOC) to design and erect a gateway sculpture. Working with a group of polytechnic students, they created a standing structure with the letters, Y.O.G. and titled it “Strong? Stronger” for the Inaugural 2010 Summer Youth Olympics in Singapore. The sculpture stood at the YOG Park in Singapore’s Marina Bay from 2010 to 2024. The 13-day global event attracted 204 nations, 3,524 youth athletes, 3,865 international officials and 31,000 international visitors with an estimated 4.7 billion viewers watching the Games via the Olympic Broadcasting Services network.[1]

In 1992, after a fun-raising charity exhibition for National Kidney Foundation Singapore, Hoisington left her art practice to pursue post-graduate degrees in education and theological studies. Thereafter, she accepted the posts of adjunct lecturer for Ngee Ann Polytechnic’s School of Interdisciplinary Studies from 2008-2014, Nanyang Polytechnic’s School of Design from 2008-2017, and a summer term at Kyoto International University In 2016.

Gallerist and Artist (2024 to present)

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After a hiatus of 33 years, Hoisington made her comeback as an artist and owner of Hoisington Galleries in January 2024 with her first major exhibition titled “Earth.Interrupted” as part of the 2024 Singapore Art Week organized jointly by the National Arts Council and Singapore Tourism Board. [2]

Art Exhibitions

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1978: First 7-man exhibition, Hilton Hotel, Singapore. Della Butcher Galleries [37]

1979: Second 7-man exhibition, Dubai, Bahrain and Kuwait. Della Butcher Galleries [38]

1979: “Hoisington Exhibition” Hilton Hotel Gallery, Singapore. Della Butcher Galleries [39]

1984: “Graphic Collages” Solo exhibition. Papermoon Art Gallery, Singapore [40]

1984: “Asparagus” Solo exhibition. The Gallery, Scotts Centre [41]

1985: “Graphic Collages 2”- Solo exhibition. Papermoon Art Gallery [42]

1986: “Provocations” - Solo exhibition. Saxophone at Cuppage Terrace [43]

1986: “Into the Light” - Solo exhibition. Arbour Fine Art Gallery [44][45] [46]

1987: Group exhibition, National Museum Centenary Art Exhibition. National Museum Singapore and Singapore Arts Council [47]

1988: “Karen Hoisington” - Solo exhibition. Tangs Studio Gallery.

1991: “The Dwelling Place” - Solo exhibition. The Black Box, Fort Canning [48]

2024: “Earth.Interrupted” at Singapore Art Week 2024  (virtual), Hoisington Galleries [3]

Corporate Art Commissions

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Nederkoorn Shipping Mural (1979), "Spirit of St Louis" 120-meter mural with local art community artists, St Louis, Missouri, USA (1985), Anglo-Chinese School 100th Anniversary Painting (1986), Polaroid Singapore National Day Poster (1988)[49]1989: Straits Times Education Supplement Issue (1989), 10 painting for fund-raising for National Kidney Foundation (1992), 2010 Inaugural Singapore Youth Olympics Gateway Sculpture at YOG Park (2010)

Corporate Art Collections

Development Bank of Singapore (DBS), Apollo Computers, Bank of America, ABN-AMRO Bank

Art Competitions

2021: UOB Painting of the Year (Shortlisted)

Public Talks (Singapore History and Heritage)

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2008: It’s in the Bag! Personal Branding and Style, IWFCI, Singapore

2011: Art & Science of the Handbag, Singapore Science Centre

2011: Down Fashion Memory Lane in the 60s, 70s, and 80s in Singapore, National Library Board

2015: Cakao: History of Orchard Road, Singapore Heritage Society

2016: Brand! Desire, National Library Board

2017: Acts of Faith: The Story of Elizabeth Choy, OBE, St Andrews Cathedral Singapore

2017: Taking the High Ground: The Morality and Memory of Elizabeth Choy, OBE, National Museum Singapore

2017: A Flower in the Fall: The Torture, Testimony, and Triumph of Elizabeth Choy OBE, National Library Board

2017: The Life and Legacy of Elizabeth Choy, OBE, Malaysia Heritage Trust

2017: Bag it with Style: Go Vintage!, National Library Board

2018: The Story of Elizabeth Choy OBE, Japanese History Association, Bangkok, Thailand

2018: From Surrender to Significance - The Legacy of Elizabeth Choy (1945 – 1955), National Heritage Board

2019: From Gambier to Gucci: 400 years of Singapore’s Trading History, Singapore Bicentennial

2020: Archives Invites – Karen Hoisington: Personal Correspondences of Elizabeth Choy. National Archives SG

2022: Vincent Hoisington (1924-1972) Artist, Entrepreneur, National Gallery Singapore

Event Producer (Singapore F1 Grand Prix)

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2008: Darren Heath: Life on the Fast Track, National Library Board

2009: Darren Heath: F1 Photography Symposium and  Science of F1 Exhibition, Singapore Science Centre

2010: Darren Heath: Photography Tips on the F1 Track, National Library​ Board

2010: Steve Slater: Design for Speed, National University of Singapore

Publ Producer

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Television

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Year Title Producer Network Ref.
2011 “Foodage”

4 August 2011@ 10pm

Sitting in Pictures Mediacorp OKTO

(Local info-ed)

2013 “Momento SG”  

26 June 2013 @ 10pm

Moving Visuals Mediacorp OKTO

(Local info-ed)

2013 “History From The Hills –

Fort Canning” (local info-ed)

4 Dec 17 2013 @ 10pm

Sitting in Pictures Mediacorp OKTO

(Local info-ed)

2014 “Singapore National Campaigns”

18 June 2014 @ 10pm

Sitting in Pictures Mediacorp OKTO

(Local info-ed)

2020 “Great Asian Railway Journeys with Michael Portillo: Singapore”

6 June 2020 @10pm

Boundless UK BBC 2 UK

Books

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Evolve: Reinventing Your Personal Brand in Times of Transition (2022) (free e-book)

Pulling the Punch in Your Personal Branding (2019) (free e-book)

Dana: From Sweden to Uganda (2019) ISBN: 978-981-14-3097-8 PublicationSG Call number: 363.70096761

A Flower in the Fall (2018) ISBN: 978-981-11-7197-0 PublicationSG Call number: 5825

Brand! Desire (2016) ISBN: 978-0-80549-444-0 PublicationSG Call number: 658.827

Awards

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2003: Mediacorp Star Awards – Innovative Packaging Design (Gold), Touché, Bière Nouvelle Asia Pacific Breweries/Designer Karen Hoisington [4]

1986: Creative Circle Award -  Packaging (Merit), Peranakan Place/Designer Karen Hoisington

1981: Creative Circle Award -  Direct (Gold), MPH, Ogilvy & Mather/Art Director Karen Hoisington [26]

1981: Creative Circle Award - Institutional & Public Service (Bronze), O&M House Mailer,  Ogilvy & Mather/Art Director Karen Hoisington [26]

Donations & Sponsorships

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1992: Donor, Art Exhibition and Christmas Cards, National Kidney Foundation Singapore  [57]

2006-2010: Car Sponsorship, FSAE Project National University of Singapore [35]

2020, 2024: Donor, Hardship Fund Kingston University, London

Judge and Mentor  

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2009 – 2013: National Junior Robotics Competition (NJRC). Organiser: A*STAR - Agency for Science, Technology and Research

2009 – 2011: Singapore Amazing Flying Machine Competition (SAFMC) Organiser: DSO National Laboratories  

(2020 -): Mentor and Judge, Bright Ideas Competition. Kingston University, London

Personal Life

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Hoisington has three younger brothers, Henry, Victor, and Martin. An avid classic car enthusiast[50], Hoisington is also a collector of museum quality vintage bags dating from the 1800s to 1960s.[51]

[edit]

www.karenhoisington.com[52]

www.hoisingtongalleries.com

  1. ^ "Art for heart's sake". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  2. ^ "Treasurehouse of memories". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  3. ^ "Father was an artist". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  4. ^ "Mr H M Hoisington". www.acsindep.moe.edu.sg. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  5. ^ "Death of S'pore Educationist". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  6. ^ Raja Singam, S. Durai (1968). A hundred years of Ceylonese in Malaysia and Singapore (1867-1967). Petaling Jaya: Raja Singam.
  7. ^ Singapore, National Library Board. "Alex Abisheganaden". www.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  8. ^ "Him Seng Piano Co. (Ad)". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  9. ^ "Singapore Trio Making Radio Model Airplane". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  10. ^ "Reds Eight Miles From Peking". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  11. ^ Singapore, National Library Board. "Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus". www.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  12. ^ "David Bernstein: Remembering one of the ad industry's all-time greats". Advertising Association. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  13. ^ "Brother-sister art team to make debut". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  14. ^ "Sight that would've gladdened dear ol' dad". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  15. ^ Lau, Mun Wah (2018-01-05). "John Archer". Advertising Archive. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  16. ^ "Batey Ads nabs Rod Pullen". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  17. ^ Ogilvy, David (1985). Ogilvy on advertising. New York, NY: Vintage Books. ISBN 978-0-394-72903-9.
  18. ^ "Two at O & M given top posts". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  19. ^ "Creative Circle Awards". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  20. ^ "Prominent People". Advertising Archive. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  21. ^ "RIP Michael Ball: They don't make 'em like they used to | Advertising". Campaign Asia. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  22. ^ "Timesdollar". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  23. ^ "Design: The Singapore Story, Part 2 of 6, Implementing a national strategy (Part 2 of 4) - DesignSingapore Council". designsingapore.org. 2015-09-07. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  24. ^ "Brands & Clients | Karen Hoisington". Karen. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  25. ^ "Food writer to launch her own paper". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  26. ^ "Aiming for the 'cool' customer". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  27. ^ "Images for industries". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  28. ^ ""National University of Singapore Engineering Design and Innovation Centre"". cde.nus.edu.sg. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  29. ^ Interview of Darren Heath, retrieved 2024-02-26
  30. ^ "Aero-modelling gives real creative joy and boosts morale". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  31. ^ "Children in world of art under the sun". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  32. ^ "Artists spread their colours to W. Asia". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  33. ^ NewspaperSG. "Now for the Middle East". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  34. ^ "A Second Chance well taken". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  35. ^ "Setting the stage for a joint production". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  36. ^ "Dwelling Place". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  37. ^ "Now for the Middle East".
  38. ^ 2 "Artists spread their colours to W. Asia". {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  39. ^ "Brother-sister art team to make debut".
  40. ^ "Art for Heart's sake".
  41. ^ "See Karen Hoisington's works of art at The Gallery, Movenpick". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  42. ^ "Graphic Collages". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  43. ^ "A license to another world". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  44. ^ "Fresh ways of seeing light". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  45. ^ "From whimsical collages to mature pastels". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  46. ^ "Karen Hoisington goes potty". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  47. ^ Museum (Singapore), LCNA:National; Singapore, National Library Board. "National Museum centennial celebrations, 1887-1987". www.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  48. ^ "Dwelling Place". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  49. ^ "My word". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  50. ^ "Racing Queen". Spring. 1 (Spring-Summer 2008): 6–7 – via North-East Community Development Council (CDC).
  51. ^ "Bag it right!". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  52. ^ "NewspaperSG". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
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